HC Deb 24 November 1948 vol 458 cc1220-1
9. Mr. Beswick

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation whether he will now make a statement about the procedure for investigating accidents to civil aircraft; and if he will reconsider the decision not to publish the report of the Newton Committee.

Mr. Lindgren

As the reply is rather long, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Beswick

Will this report now be made available for interested Members?

Mr. Lindgren

Yes, Sir. The report is now available in the Vote Office and attached to it is a memorandum from my noble Friend setting out the new procedure for investigations and the reasons why some of the recommendations of the report are not accepted.

Mr. J. Langford-Holt

Has the hon. Gentleman received permission from the Belgian Government for the publication of the report on the Sabena accident at Heathrow in March, 1948.

Mr. Lindgren

That is an entirely different question. If the hon. Gentleman will put it down I will give him an answer.

Following is the reply:

The procedure for investigating accidents to civil aircraft has been occupying the attention of my noble Friend and that of his predecessor for a considerable time. My noble Friend's predecessor referred the question to a sub-Committee of the National Civil Aviation Consultative Council presided over by Mr. C. M. Newton, which submitted a valuable report. Since assuming office my noble Friend has been examining the matter in the light of this report and of the wider considerations which arise. As a result, while not going so far as the Committee propose, he has decided to make a number of modifications in the present practice.

My noble Friend's predecessor had not intended to publish the Committee's report in view of the confidential relationship between the Minister and the National Civil Aviation Consultative Council. However, after reviewing the particular circumstances and consulting the Council, my noble Friend has decided that the report should be published, though this is not to be taken as establishing any precedent for the future. The report will be accompanied by a memorandum setting out in detail the modifications which he has decided to make in the present practice, and the reasons for which he is unable to accept certain recommendations in the report. My noble Friend has arranged for publication of the report and memorandum as a Command Paper which will be available to hon. Members today.

My noble Friend wishes to take this opportunity, in which I wish to join, to pay sincere tribute to the work of the Newton Committee. Their report is a most valuable document, and my noble Friend is much indebted to them for the care and thoroughness with which they performed their difficult task.